The 2017 NHL Draft is just hours away, and the New York Rangers want to get in on the action early.
The Rangers on Friday traded center Derek Stepan and backup goaltender Antti Raanta to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Anthony DeAngelo and Arizona’s No. 7 overall pick in Friday’s draft.
It’s a significant move for the Blueshirts, who drafted Stepan in 2008 and had watched him develop into one of their core players over the last seven seasons. The 27-year-old played in 81 games for New York last campaign, tying a career high with 55 points on 17 goals and 38 assists.
Yet Stepan is entering the third year of a six-year contract that carries an annual $6.5 million cap hit, and dealing the veteran center along with Henrik Lundqvist’s backup gives the Rangers more cap flexibility after also buying out defenseman Dan Girardi’s contract last week.
New York also now owns two first-round picks in the 2017 draft at No. 7 and No. 21, and acquires a 21-year-old defenseman in DeAngelo, who was a former first-round selection (No. 19 overall) of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Thumbnail photo via Brace Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports Images
